BETINA CUTAIA WILKINSON

2025 Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentor Award for Exemplary Mentoring of Latino/a Undergraduate Students on Political Science

Betina Cutaia Wilkinson is an associate professor and associate chair of the Politics and International Affairs department at Wake Forest University. Her book project Partners or Rivals? Power and Latino, Black and White Relations in the 21st Century (University of Virginia Press, 2015) won the APSA REP Section’s Best Book Award on Inter-Race Relations in the United States. In 2015, Wilkinson was awarded an Early Career Award by the Midwest Political Science Association’s Latina/o Caucus. She has served as the President of the Midwest Political Science Association’s Latina/o Caucus, editorial board member of the PS: Political Science & Politics journal, executive council member of the Midwest Political Science Association, and as an advisory board member of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Center for Innovative Faculty Development.

“She has made it her mission to guide undergraduate students, especially Latino students. Her passion for professorship goes beyond conducting research; she is committed to helping students learn, recognize their potential, and become their best selves. Dr. Wilkinson’s mentorship has been instrumental in helping me discover how I want to use my education, and the opportunities she has provided have prepared me to pursue my career goals with confidence,” writes Natalia Adams, a student at Wake Forest University.

Adams continues, “She recognized strengths in me that I hadn’t yet discovered and provided me with many opportunities to develop them. Because of her, I discovered a love for research, participated in RBSI, presented at major conferences, and became a coauthor on meaningful research. Nearly every line on my resume stems from an opportunity she opened for me, and each of these experiences has provided me with the skills to continue pursuing my career goals. I can say without hesitation that Dr. Wilkinson has shaped the course of my future, and I can’t thank her enough for her mentorship.”

In addition to founding the Race, Inequality and Policy Initiative (RIPI), Wilkinson currently serves as co-editor of the PS: Political Science & Politics journal. Wilkison’s research has been published in several political science and multidisciplinary journals including Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, American Politics Research, PS: Political Science and Politics, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Race and Social Problems. Wilkinson’s research has been highlighted by numerous media sources including NPR, Al-Jazeera, Los Angeles Times, NBC News Latino, San Francisco Weekly, Houston Chronicle, The New Orleans Advocate, Winston-Salem Chronicle, Enlace Latino NC, WPTF/North Carolina News Network, Spectrum News Triad, and “This Morning” show in Seoul, South Korea.

Ping Xu, a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island, also shares “Dr. Wilkinson’s mentorship model is rooted in inclusive research partnerships. Each year, she works closely with students, often first-generation or underrepresented, through independent studies, competitive summer fellowships, and departmental assistantships. Her mentees do not simply just assist on projects; they create and implement their own ideas and together with Dr. Wilkinson, they co-create knowledge. Many have co-authored papers with her and presented at national conferences, and several have published in peer-reviewed journals. These experiences not only hone students’ research and writing skills but also build their confidence and visibility in the discipline.”

Xu continues, “The outcomes of her mentorship are clear: her former students have gone on to pursue graduate and professional degrees at institutions such as UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, Georgetown, and Indiana University. Many cite her influence as pivotal in shaping their aspirations and trajectories. Her work exemplifies the spirit and legacy of Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell.”

The APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession once again thanks Betina for her tireless dedication to undergraduate students and offers its thanks for her commitment to bettering the political science discipline.

ANGIE TORRES-BELTRAN

2025 Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Mentor Award for Exemplary Mentoring of Latino/a Graduate Students in Political Science

Angie Torres-Beltran is an assistant professor in the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona. She holds a BA from the University of Central Florida and PhD from Cornell University.

“She models what it means to succeed in the academy without losing yourself, to be unapologetically Latina, PhD-educated, and deeply committed to lifting others as you climb,” states Raymundo Lopez, a graduate student at the University of Michigan.

Bruna Dalmas, a graduate student at Indiana University, also shares, “Academia can often feel isolating and harsh for people from marginalized backgrounds. But thanks to people like Angie, we are making strides toward a more supportive and accessible environment… She consistently made an effort to support me whenever she could, whether by reading my applications, offering academic advice, or helping me navigate important decisions. She deeply cares about the success of the community she is working so hard to build and generously shares her successful application materials, never keeping that knowledge to herself.”

Torres-Beltran is also a Research Affiliate in the Gender and Security Sector Lab and in the Eliminating Violence Against Women Lab. Her award-winning research examines how gender and violence shape political behavior and development in Latin America and Mexico, in particular. Her research has been published in Political Science Research and Methods, International Studies Quarterly, PS: Political Science and Politics, among others, and has been featured in Nexos and The Washington Post.

Alejandra López Villegas, a faculty member at Lake Forest College, notes how, “Angie approaches mentoring with care, intentionality, and a strong sense of purpose. She understands that the ‘hidden curriculum’ of academia often remains inaccessible to many students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Angie actively works to dismantle those barriers and helped us understand how to navigate conferences, prepare materials for the job market, and build professional networks. She did all of these things not only by sharing her own experiences and insights in informal settings, but also by creating accessible, sustainable programming that has laid the foundation for future cohorts to be able to access these skills.”

The APSA Committee on the Status of Latinos y Latinas in the Profession once again thanks Angie for her tireless dedication to graduate students and offers its thanks for her commitment to bettering the political science discipline.